


The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread

by arborealstops



Category: 9 to 5 the Musical - Parton/Resnick
Genre: ??? - Freeform, F/F, annie au, yep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24085960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arborealstops/pseuds/arborealstops
Summary: She thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread.  -AnnieApproximately four hours ago, by Violet’s count at least, she’d agreed to an idea her assistant had proposed, one meant to raise public opinion of her.  One that was supposed to bring in support and encouragement.Violet had agreed to become a mother.
Relationships: Judy Bernly/Violet Newstead
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse this whole thing, I came up with the idea after watching Annie (1982) for the millionth time a couple of weeks ago. The title comes from this one interaction where Annie basically tells Daddy Warbucks that Grace thinks he's the 'greatest thing since sliced bread,' even though my sister said I should name it 'Let's Go to the Movies.' Yes, it's messy; yes, there are gonna be some potentially awkward time skip moments because i'm a mess; and yes, I wrote almost all of this at about three in the morning. And there is absolutely zero beta because no one knew I was writing anything new. RIP. 
> 
> Also, please understand that it's weirdly rushed only because I wrote this for two (2) scenes and they're the best scenes in this. 
> 
> Anyway... love y'all have fun with this one! :D Comments/kudos greatly appreciated.

Five years ago, Violet Newstead’s husband died of a rare cancer that they couldn’t afford treatment for. Four years ago, Violet decided that it was her goal in life to earn money, so that she would never have to worry about something like that again. Three years ago, she founded a campaign for cancer awareness and research. Two years ago, she hired an assistant by the name of Judy Bernly. One year ago, she was at the top of the totem pole, at least as high as women could reach. Six months ago, she was knocked down by accusations of temper, affairs, and various other tales invented purely because she was a private woman.

And, approximately four hours ago, by Violet’s count at least, she’d agreed to an idea her assistant had proposed, one meant to raise public opinion of her. One that was supposed to bring in support and encouragement. 

Violet had agreed to become a mother. 

Not in the usual way- Violet, despite the rumors, didn’t have a lover, and hadn’t had one in five years. No, she was going to adopt a child, at least for the time being. 

Motherhood had never truly appealed to Violet. She and her husband had kept many secrets from the world, some secrets that Violet kept hidden even after his passing. Secrets like their preferences- dating preferences, that is. Charles Newstead may have been her husband, but he was also simultaneously more and less than that; he was her best friend, but Violet would never consider him her lover, purely because her heart had never truly rested with him, and his had certainly been kept from her. They had been close, but some things were just never meant to be shared. 

So, the idea of motherhood had never even occurred to Violet, much less been something she would anticipate. But, Judy assured her that a child would soften her to reporters and give people who didn’t deserve it a glimpse of her personal life.

And, since Judy was generally right, Violet had agreed.

Judy was off now, on the phone with some woman who ran an orphanage, or knew an orphanage, or… something. Violet wasn’t exactly sure, at this point. 

Quietly, she sidled up to Judy, who was listening intently to the person on the other end of the call.

“It’s just for a month, right?” She asked quietly.

Judy practically leapt in surprise, letting out a soft gasp. Glaring at Violet, she turned her attention back to the call. 

“No, Mrs. Peters, I’m sorry, that was my bad. Something surprised me, is- oh, no not you! A woman ran into me, is all. Yes, of course.”

As soon as the woman on the phone- Mrs. Peters, apparently- was placated, Judy turned back to Violet, still glaring intensely. 

“Yes, *Ms. Newstead,* it’s just for a month. And I assure you, Mrs. Peters is well aware of- Oh, that sounds wonderful!” Her attention went back to the phone for a moment, and Violet allowed herself a small smile. Watching Judy work always brought out intense feelings of gladness- the way she startled easily, or the way she always seemed to have something about which to yell at Violet. 

Covering the mouthpiece and turning back to Violet, Judy’s expression softened marginally. “Yes, it’s only for a month, and Mrs. Peters is well aware of that. She thinks it could be good for the girls, for one of them to get out, even if only for a little while.”

Judy’s angry expression from before had completely melted, and she sighed. If Judy was thinking about all of the orphans in New York, like Violet knew she must be, she would never finish that phone call. 

“Okay,” she finally replied. “But I won’t sign anything without reading it myself, first.”

“Of course.” Judy’s distracted expression disappeared, and she was suddenly back in business mode. “I’ll make sure Mrs. Peters understands.”

Violet nodded contentedly, turning away from Judy and walking in the direction of the library, Judy’s voice echoing behind her.

\---

The first thing that Violet thought as she sat down in her favorite armchair was that she did not want a child. Not now, when her life had already been turned upside-down by those horrible gossip magazines, or when she had no one to help her raise said child. Certainly, Violet had had a unique childhood- dressing up and acting as though she was the son that her parents had always wanted, instead of another lanky, brainy girl. It had not been the most pleasant of childhoods, and Violet didn’t want to bring that upon another little girl, even if only for a month. 

Truthfully, she didn’t mind the concept of children. They had a tendency to be sticky and wild, yes, but generally they were cute and innocent. It was really just the memories from her childhood, that repeating mantra of “Don’t be your mother” playing racquetball against Judy’s convincing words in her mind. 

But, then, Judy would be doing a lot of the caring for this child while they stayed with her. Technically, the two of them would be working together, but with Violet’s work already keeping her busy as it was, the child would probably get to know Judy a bit better than they would get to know Violet. 

She sighed. This child business was really distracting her lately, and that was the last thing she needed right now. She was trying to organize a conference for big business CEOs across the country- the first she’d ever hosted. As the lone woman in such a position, organizing this event was possibly even more important than her actual work- men who already wanted her gone would be in her space, watching her work, and trying to prove that she didn’t deserve the position she’d worked so hard to get. If this event wasn’t perfect, it would be the cherry on top of all of the bad publicity she’d gotten recently. It would be the end of her career. 

With a groan, she picked up a stack of papers and her reading glasses and got back to work.


	2. ii

“Ms. Newstead?”

Violet jerked awake, her eyes snapping open as she sat up straight. It was probably the fifth or sixth evening she’d fallen asleep while reviewing her notes for the conference, but she figured she’d have time to fix her sleep schedule sometime after she fixed her reputation. 

Picking up the glasses that had fallen to the floor, Violet looked up at Judy, who must have been the one to wake her. “Yes?”

Judy gave her a sympathetic smile. “You have a meeting with Mr. Hart that you need to leave for in an hour. I hadn’t seen you yet, so I thought you might be-”

“Right.” Violet sighed, standing up and straightening out her shirt. “Thank you.”

Judy looked as though there was something else on her mind, as well. Violet quirked an eyebrow, reaching a hand up to massage her neck. She really needed to work on finishing her work before three in the morning… “What’s on your mind, Judes?”

The younger woman blushed slightly. “I just wanted to remind you that, uh, I’ll be out for most of the day. I’m going to the orphanage today…”

Violet stopped her massaging, closing her eyes and tilting her head toward the ceiling. “Yes, right. Okay.” That would make this meeting just slightly more unbearable, but she’d manage. It wouldn’t be the first time. “Thank you for the reminder,” she added after a moment, giving Judy a tired smile.

Judy nodded. “Of course.” She stood there for a moment, glancing at the pile of Violet’s papers, before gently reminding her. “The meeting…”

“Right.” Violet suddenly jumped into action, grabbing her sweater from the back of the chair. “Tell George to leave those papers there, would you please?” She smiled at Judy as she walked backward through the library. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Judy’s response was quiet, and Violet barely heard it. She didn’t see Judy watching her as she walked away, either.

\---

Judy Bernly smoothed out her dress as she waited for Mrs. Peters to answer the door. 

She was, admittedly, quite nervous. She’d never gone about adopting a child before, even if it was only for a month, and she had no idea what to expect. Would there be children everywhere, or would they be off in their rooms? Was she expected to choose one, or did Mrs. Peters already have a child in mind?

Anxiously, she chewed on her lip just as the door opened to reveal a haggard looking woman.

“Mrs. Peters? Hello, my name is-”

Judy was cut off by the woman. “I ain’t Mrs. Peters,” she scoffed, giving Judy a cursory look. “But that don’t mean I don’t know who you are, Miss Bernly. She’s waitin’ inside.”

The woman turned to lead her inside, and Judy followed behind her quickly, quietly. She could hear the muffled chatter of children in some nearby room, and she smiled softly.

Whether or not Violet had wanted to be a mother, Judy always had. She loved watching little children, and had always hoped to have a little son or daughter of her own. Unfortunately, that dream had been swiftly quashed by the divorce from her ex-husband, and by the realization not two years later that Judy had a… slightly less than platonic feeling toward her boss, unfortunately. 

Shaking her head slightly, she walked into a tiny office, crammed with papers and various articles of children’s clothing. It looked almost homely, and Judy smiled slightly before turning her attention back to the woman who had led her there. 

“Mrs. Peters will be right in,” she told Judy, nodding curtly toward another door. “She’s just gettin’ lunch for the kids.”

Judy nodded, smiling gratefully. “Thank you,” she said, before settling herself in one of the chairs to wait for Mrs. Peters. 

As she sat, she took an actual look around. It wasn’t the cleanest place, but the office looked more ‘lived-in’ than dirty. There was a dress on top of a stack of books, a tiny girl’s shoe on the floor near the door, and a crayon drawing of what looked to be a dog on the wall in the corner. She had just turned to look at the window when the other door opened and a portly, younger lady let herself in.

Judy shot to her feet. “You must be-”

“Mrs. Peters, yes, which would make you… Ms. Newstead’s assistant?” The woman asked, taking a seat behind the desk.

Judy flushed, somewhat embarrassed. She wasn’t big on being known as someone’s assistant- but then, she figured, that was kind of the life she’d doomed herself to. She sighed, taking her seat.

“Yes. My name is Judy Bernly,” she gave a tight smile. “I’m here for- well, we discussed it yesterday.”

The woman nodded distractedly, digging through the paperwork on her desk. “There’s a little girl here you might like,” she finally said, pulling out a coffee-stained paper. “Name’s Molly- just a little thing, ten years old… a bit messy, but not a bad girl.”

Judy nodded, looking a bit nervous as Mrs. Peters dug through the papers on the desk. She was distracted, though, by several pairs of eyes peering through the doorway at her.

She grinned, giving them a tiny wave and feeling herself relax. She’d always loved children, and being in a place like this that was crawling with them was an amazing feeling. Maybe she would come back here, after this thing with Violet was done, and get to know the children for herself…

She turned back to Mrs. Peters as the older woman began speaking again. “I’ll bring her in to meet you, while you just have to sign here, here, and… here.” She pointed at several lines on the paper, giving Judy a tight smile. 

Judy smiled, nodding and picking up a pen. “Alright. I can’t wait to meet her.”

\--

It wasn’t long before Judy was back in the car, little Molly in tow. The little girl was pale, with freckles dotting her entire face and golden ringlets that looked like a halo around her head. She’d looked at everything with an air of excitement, asking questions about everything around her- the car, Judy’s dress, Violet… anything she could think of, it seemed. Judy was glad to answer everything she could, grinning and going along with anything Molly said.

By the time they reached the house, she had quieted a little bit, but Judy honestly couldn’t tell if it was because she was out of questions or if it was because she was too excited to ask anything. Her nose was pressed to the window of the car, even after it had come to a stop.

“Molly,” Judy giggled, tapping her shoulder. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

As soon as they walked in, the girl’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. 

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed, spinning in circles in an attempt to take everything in. 

Judy smiled softly. It had been years since the first time she’d seen Violet’s house- or, rather, mansion- but it still shocked her sometimes when she came inside. She could only imagine what it was like for a little girl who’d grown up in a place like that orphanage. Just standing in the middle of the hallway, wearing her drab blue dress and with her hair all messy from the car ride, she stood out like a sore thumb- a very excited sore thumb, though.

“Come on. Why don’t I show you to your room?” Judy smiled gently leading her away. “You’ll stay up here, right…”

\--

“Tell me about Ms. Newstead.” Molly hopped onto the bed, her freshly washed curls bouncing against the new dress Judy had helped her into after her bath.

Judy smiled, carefully folding the old dress and placing it in the back of the wardrobe. “Well… she’s my best friend,” she began, her eyes glazing over slightly. “I can’t wait for you to meet her- she’s just about the only friend I have, actually,” she added, giggling self-consciously.

“I met her after my husband- well, after we got a divorce.” Judy sat down next to the girl, both of their legs dangling over the edge of the bed. “She can be tough- she has to be, with her job. And she’s strong, stronger than anyone I know, that’s for sure.”

She quieted for a moment, looking down at her hands, folded in her lap. “She gets sad sometimes, and only two things will cheer her up- hot cocoa and a good book by the fireplace.” She smiled. “She loves reading, it’s one of her favorite things to do when she’s not working. She hates most of the men she works with, but that’s not very strange, I don’t think.”

She glanced over at Molly, but she was still staring intently at her, so she continued. “She hired me out of nowhere- I didn’t have any idea what I was doing when I came here. She’s the one who helped me out. I- I don’t know where I’d be without her,” Judy finished, blushing and looking back at her lap. 

“She sounds… wonderful!” Molly jumped up from the bed, twirling in a circle, her mind clearly made up. Judy couldn’t help laughing as she followed her motions, spinning with Molly until they were both laughing uncontrollably.

Catching her breath, Judy glanced at the clock and smiled. “Hey, Molly, you know what? She’s almost home- why don’t you get ready to meet her?”

Molly squealed excitedly, already ready to meet the woman who would be taking care of her for the next month.


	3. iii

It took almost no time for Molly to settle in at the Newstead house. Despite her nervousness at the prospect of parenting, Violet had fallen in love with the little girl almost immediately, taking her swimming and eating dinner with her. She loved running her hands through the girl’s curly blonde hair, and she had even started reading her bedtime stories. 

One afternoon, about a week after Molly arrived, Violet shut down her office early, walking into Molly’s room with a mischievous grin. 

“Hey there, girlie,” she smiled as Molly looked up from the book in her lap. Peeking carefully around her hands, Violet got a glance at the title- Little Women. Her smile widened. 

“Trying to read ahead before bedtime?” She teased, leaning against the doorframe.

Molly blushed. “I was actually reading to Ms. Judy,” the girl replied, and Violet suddenly realized that Judy was also in the room, sitting on the little loveseat in the corner knitting. She gave Violet a small smile, and Violet returned the look before turning back to Molly.

“Well, I brought a surprise for you… and Ms. Judy,” she added, her eyes sparkling as both of them gave her excited looks.

Drawing her hand from behind her back, Violet held up three tickets. 

“Let’s go to the movies.”

\--

Violet sat in the car with Molly, waiting for Judy to finish getting ready for the movies. She was telling the girl about how she had come to meet Judy, a fond smile on her face. She’d grown to enjoy having Molly around, and had reached the point where she was actually dreading the end of their month together. 

“-and Judes, well, she was going through a lot then. She honestly didn’t know a thing about how to do her job when she came here, but she needed a job, and I liked her.” She smiled softly, looking up at the house, at the light in the window that she knew led to Judy’s room.

“She likes you, too,” Molly’s soft voice piped up from the backseat. “A lot.”

Violet turned to look at the girl. “Yeah?” She asked, almost embarrassed at the way her voice hitched upwards. Thank goodness Judy herself wasn’t out here, or Violet would be a mess.

“She’d do anything for you,” Molly continued, unaware of how her words were affecting Violet. She was playing with a couple of Barbies in her lap, making them dance together. “She said so herself. She said you helped her out a lot, and that you were one of the strongest people she knows.”

Violet’s heart was in her throat. This little girl was just repeating what she’d heard from Judy- she had no idea that Violet was having difficulty breathing as she spoke. These were words she’d wanted to hear for so long, but she’d never imagined them coming from a little girl that she had just met a couple of weeks before. Still, she reminded herself, kids had a tendency to… embellish things.

Violet shook her head and scoffed lightly, hoping to cover up her emotions. “She’s very sweet, Molly. I’m sure she talks about everyone that way.” She wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince- the girl or herself.

But Molly shook her head, putting the toys aside and looking up. Her eyes met Violet’s and, very solemnly, she said “I think she loves you.”

Violet wasn’t breathing. She knew she shouldn’t rely on a child’s intuition for things like this- after all, a ten year old knew less about love than she did, and she honestly didn’t know all that much. But she couldn’t help thinking that Molly really believed what she’d said- and that maybe, just maybe, she was right.

She swallowed. “Well, she- I-”

“All ready to go?” 

Judy pulled the passenger door open, slipping into the car with a bright smile. She wore a light blue dress and her hair was pulled back into a half-up, half-down style. She looked absolutely stunning, with her bright smile and the slight blush in her cheeks. 

She was doing absolutely nothing to help Violet’s sudden inability to breathe.

“Vi?” Judy looked worried now, staring at Violet, who was staring at her. “Are you alright?”

Violet let out a small gasp and shook her head, grateful that the darkness would hide her blush. “Yeah- yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry. Just… distracted.”

Her face burned as she started the car. _Smooth, Newstead,_ she thought to herself. _That was great._

\--

Violet had no idea what the movie was. 

They’d walked in and she had bought Molly some popcorn and Judy a soda, and then she had watched Molly as she stared, wide-eyed, at everything. She ran between the rows of seats, ran up to the projector and started making finger puppets, and then got as close to the screen as she could before the movie started. And then, she stared, with stars in her eyes, at the screen as the women danced and the men smoked.

Partway through the movie, though, her gaze wandered to Judy. Her face was glowing, her eyes glued to the screen. Violet found her starstruck look to be absolutely captivating, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away. She knew she was missing the film, but seeing Judy looking like that, so raw and innocent, was more important than any film in the world.

Judy turned her head slightly toward Violet, and she quickly averted her gaze, turning back toward the screen. Whatever was happening onscreen, Violet had missed everything leading up to it and was massively confused. But that was okay- the moment she felt Judy’s eyes leave her face, her gaze wandered back to her companions. 

A tiny smile on her face, she leaned toward Judy. “Someone’s asleep,” she whispered, nodding toward Molly. The little girl was fast asleep, her blonde ringlets stuck to her cheek and her head practically in her popcorn.

Judy smiled softly, reaching over to brush a lock of hair out of Molly’s face. She looked almost motherly for a second, sweet and caring.

“Should we wake her?” Violet whispered, leaning to look over Judy’s shoulder.

Judy shook her head, glancing at the screen. “No. It’s almost over, and she needs the sleep.”

Nevertheless, Judy reached over, adjusting the girl slightly so she could sleep more comfortably.

\--

The movie ended with a dramatic kissing scene between two people that Violet honestly didn’t know. Maybe she should have paid more attention to this film she’d paid for them to see, but, movie or not, she’d had a good night out. The first one she’d had in a long while, in fact.

As the credits started rolling, Violet glanced over to find Judy wiping her eyes, her cheeks already damp with the tears that had clearly been streaming down them only moments before. Without thinking, she reached over and wiped off a forgotten tear from Judy’s jaw.

The younger woman jumped, turning to face Violet, who had pulled away embarrassedly. “Sorry. You- I just-”

Judy gave her a soft smile. “It’s alright,” she replied, almost shyly.

Violet smiled back at her for a moment, content to just look at her- until Molly whimpered slightly in her sleep, and Violet jolted into action, scooping the sleeping girl into her arms and carrying her out of the theater. 

The drive home was as quiet as the drive there had been, if slightly more comfortable. The sheer exhaustion radiating through the car made them all more relaxed, and Violet was even humming slightly when they pulled up to the house. 

Violet put the car in park as Judy reached back to pick up Molly. When Violet made to take the girl from her, Judy shook her head, smiling proudly. “I’ve got her.”

Violet hesitated, then shrugged, following her up to Molly’s room.

Judy laid the girl in her bed, sitting by her feet and just smiling for a moment. Violet couldn’t help watching them- Judy, carefully removing Molly’s shoes, looked so… domestic. She could picture Judy as a mother- she would absolutely spoil a child of her own, Violet thought. Though, with such a good-natured mother, that kid would absolutely grow up to be the sweetest child Vi had ever met. 

“Vi- could you help me please?” Judy was trying to change the girl into her pajamas, but her dress didn’t seem to want to come off. Violet chuckled softly, reaching over to undo a button that Judy had missed.

“Got it,” she replied quietly, smiling as she handed Judy Molly’s pajama bottoms. 

Judy smiled gratefully, finishing changing her and tucking her into bed. She pressed a gentle kiss to the girl’s forehead, straightening up and looking at her fondly before realizing that Violet’s gaze was on her. 

She flushed, looking up at Violet, then shaking her head. 

“I’ll see you in the morning, Vi,” she said quietly, yawning and giving Violet a tired smile.

Violet returned the smile, her expression slightly dazed purely from looking at Judy. “Good night, Judes,” she replied quietly, watching the woman leave. 

With one last glance at Molly, Violet too headed off to bed, her mind still on her assistant.


	4. iv

“Judy.”

Violet’s voice was soft, barely above a whisper. She was leaning against the doorway of Judy’s room, looking nervous. More nervous, probably, than Judy had ever seen her. It wasn’t the kind of thing Judy wanted to see so late at night, especially not when Violet had just finished putting Molly to bed.

The girl had been with them for over three weeks- she only had a few days left with Violet. Judy had tried not to get too upset, but she had cried about it more than once- the little girl was a part of them now, and her leaving was something that neither Judy nor Violet wanted to think about.

Of course, each of them had, in their own time, thought about it. Judy had resigned herself to the idea of losing the little girl- she’d knitted her a blanket to take with her, and she’d planned a going-away celebration for her with the rest of the staff. She didn’t like it, by any means, but it was what she had to do. 

Violet, on the other hand, had been reflecting on the time Molly had spent with them. She, Molly, and Judy had done many things during those three weeks, from seeing films to playing tennis to learning the piano. And those three weeks had made Violet feel better than she had in months- years, even. The three of them had become their own sort of family.

But now one part of the family was supposed to leave, and Violet hadn’t even figured out yet if Judy would have wanted to be a part of that family if it had a chance. Nonetheless, she’d made a decision, and that was why she was there, in Judy’s room at midnight, staring at her hands as she spoke,

“I want to keep Molly here,” she said quietly. She wasn’t one for mincing words or dancing around the subject, that was for sure. 

“The last three weeks, when she’s been here, have been some of the best… ever, for me. Since Richard- I haven’t felt this happy since before Richard, Judy, and I don’t want to lose that. Not now, when I’ve just started getting used to having her around.” Violet finally looked up, trying to meet Judy’s eyes, but her assistant had her gaze trained to the wall.

“Judy, please say something,” she said quietly. “I know that you know that this place is just as much yours as it is mine, and I don’t want to make any-”

“Are you asking me if Molly should stay?” Judy asked quietly, slowly standing. 

Violet bit her lip. “More like asking you… if she _can_ stay,” she finally replied, looking away. “Like I said… these last few weeks have been… the best of my life with her. With you. The two of you- you’re- she’s important to me, Judes. She’s made me so happy in her time here. I never thought I’d want to be a mother, but now…”

She trailed off, drumming her fingers against her thighs anxiously. If Judy said no, Violet would let Molly go back to the orphanage, no question. But she didn’t think she would- she’d noticed how Judy smiled more and worried less with the girl around. She’d seen the small moments between the two of them, with Judy brushing Molly’s hair or helping her make cupcakes or sounding out words for her as she tried to read some of Violet’s books. She knew she’d have a lot to learn if Molly stayed with them, but it was that way with every family. And Molly already liked both her and Judy.

She finally looked back up at Judy only to find her standing in front of her with tears in her eyes. Violet straightened up, reaching out to touch her shoulder gently.

“Judy? Are you okay?”

The shorter woman nodded, scrunching her face up in an attempt to not cry, but she lost it as soon as Violet opened her arms and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Violet, I- you have no idea how much I wanted this. I would love for Molly to stay here,” she sniffled into Violet’s shoulder, hugging her back.

Violet smiled and rubbed her back. Despite what Judy thought, she had, in fact, noticed just how attached Judy had become to Molly, and that had admittedly been one of the deciding factors of the mental pros and cons list Violet had made.

Not that there had been many cons- the last three weeks had taught her more than she had ever thought she’d need to learn. They had taught her how to take care of a young girl, taught her that she could be a mother, and a decently good one at that. And they’d taught her that, whether what Molly had said was true or not, she would do anything to make Judy happy.

“I’ll call Mrs. Peters in the morning,” Violet said softly, still holding Judy close. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

“I’m glad you wanted her to stay,” Judy mumbled into Violet’s shoulder. She sniffled again, then pulled back slightly, looking up at Violet’s face.

Violet looked down at her, and she swore her heart was going to pound out of her chest. She reached up to wipe a stray tear off of her cheek, but before she knew what was happening, Judy had raised up onto her tiptoes and pressed her lips to Violet’s. 

It took Violet a moment to realize what was happening, but by then she had already begun kissing Judy back. It was a short, sweet kiss that didn’t last nearly as long as she wanted before Judy pulled away, looking up at her nervously.

“Was- was that okay?” She asked quietly. “I didn’t mean to- I just- I was so-”

Violet cut her off by pressing her lips to Judy’s again. She felt the smaller woman relax in her arms, and she smiled into the kiss. Pulling back again, she whispered, “That was perfect, Judy.”

Judy smiled slightly, then pulled Violet back down and into another kiss. This kiss was more passionate, and Violet cupped her cheek, pulling her as close as she possibly could.

They stayed there, in the doorway of Judy’s room, kissing until the grandfather clock in the hallway chimed, reminding them of the late hour.

Blushing, Judy pulled away, looking down at the floor. They both took a minute to catch their breath before Violet finally spoke up.

“Do you want to… come sleep with me?” Realizing how that sounded, she flushed bright red. “I mean- just sleep… in my room. If you don’t, I get it, I just…” She trailed off. Now that this had happened, now that she’d kissed Judy- or, rather, Judy had kissed her- she wasn’t eager to part ways with her, even if it was just for the night.

Judy nodded, her cheeks a similar shade of pink. “I- I’d like that,” she replied cautiously. “Just… let me put on pajamas first?”

Violet nodded. “Of course. I’ll- I’ll be in my room,” she replied, kissing Judy on the cheek before she left.

\--

Alone in her own room, changing into her pajamas, Violet’s mind ran wild.

She’d just kissed Judy, Judy Bernly, her assistant. Who she’d had a crush on since she’d hired her. Who she’d thought was straight. Who had actually gotten up the nerve to kiss Violet before Violet could kiss her. Her mind was still reeling, her heart pounding faster than was probably healthy. She and Judy had kissed, and it had been twenty thousand times better than anything Violet had ever dreamed about. It had been… perfect.

And, in the morning, she and Judy would call Mrs. Peters and Molly would get to stay with them. It was everything Violet had ever wanted- it was a family of her own. It was… _absolutely beautiful._

That’s what she thought to herself as she opened her bedroom door to find Judy standing in the hallway, now barefaced and in her pajamas. She looked absolutely beautiful.

Judy closed the door behind herself, looking shyly down at her feet as she stood just inside the room. Violet couldn’t resist a small smile at the sight of her there, blushing and innocent and more stunning than anything she’d ever seen in her life.

Carefully, she stepped forward and tilted Judy’s chin up so that she could see her face. Without her makeup, Violet could make out each sweet little freckle that dotted her nose. She leaned down, pressing a small kiss to her lips.

“You’re beautiful, Judy,” she whispered, brushing the pad of her thumb over her cheekbone and wrapping her other arm around her waist.

Judy blushed, then raised up on her tiptoes to press a gentle kiss to Violet’s lips. “You’re too sweet,” she mumbled, kissing her again. And again.

It wasn’t long before they drifted to the bed, kissing sweetly the whole time. And then, their eyes drifted closed, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.


	5. v

Violet woke the next morning to the feeling of someone in bed next to her. It took her a moment to remember why- she hadn’t shared a bed with anyone in five years. But the moment she opened her eyes and saw Judy, sleeping soundly, hair a mess and lips forming a soft smile, she couldn’t help the warm feeling spreading in her chest.

She laid there, studying Judy’s face for a moment. She didn’t want to move, for fear of waking the other woman, and also because then she wouldn’t have this view. Judy looked absolutely beautiful, more relaxed in her sleep than Violet had ever seen her awake. 

It was unusual, Violet being awake before Judy. Usually, she’d end up asleep in the library, surrounded by piles of papers and books, and Judy would wake her in time for her first meeting. Not today, though. Today, something had woken Violet up, though she wasn’t sure what yet.

“Miss Judy? Where are you?”

Ah. So that must be what had woken her. 

Molly’s voice echoed down the hall, and Violet winced, looking over at Judy. She’d have to wake up sometime, and hearing Molly’s panicked yelling was probably not the best way to have her wake up. So, grimacing, Violet carefully extracted herself from the bed and padded into the hallway.

Shivering slightly, she couldn’t help grinning when Molly spotted her and raced down the hall to greet her.

“Miss Violet!” Her voice was far too loud for so early in the morning, but Violet’s scooped her into a tight hug anyway. The little girl squeezed her back, then resumed her earlier questioning. 

“Miss Violet, do you know where Miss Judy is?”

Violet’s grin widened. Leading Molly into the bedroom, Violet held a finger to her lips and pointed to where Judy slept in the bed.

Molly’s eyes widened at the sight of her, and she turned with an excited bounce to Violet. “Did you have a sleepover?”

Violet bit her tongue to keep from laughing at the child. It was sweet, how much of a child she was, and Violet was glad she’d chosen to continue watching her grow up through that. But that was something for later.

“Something like that,” she replied with a smile.

Molly smiled back at her, then tugged her arm, pulling Violet closer so she could whisper in her ear.

“Can I wake her up so we can make pancakes?” When Violet looked unsure, she continued. “Miss Judy promised we could make pancakes today.”

When Molly gave her those little puppy eyes, she had Violet absolutely wrapped around her cute little finger. Glancing at the clock, she sighed good-naturedly. 

“I suppose…”

Hopping up and down excitedly, Molly waited until she’d convinced Violet to climb back into bed before she charged at them, launching herself onto the bed at the last minute.

“Miss Judy, Miss Judy wake up!”

Judy woke with a start, Violet lying next to her and Molly on her lap. It took her a minute to calm her breathing and remember where she was, but when she did, she smiled up at the little girl.

“Pancake day, right?” She asked softly, excitedly, and even from her spot beside her she could see the way Judy’s eyes sparkled. Molly nodded excitedly, and Judy twisted her head to look at Violet with a soft smile.

Violet smiled back, a warm feeling flooding her chest. _Love._ “Do you mind if I join you?”

Molly’s grin widened as she shook her head, then began chattering about what she wanted to put on her pancakes. With a soft smile, Violet looked at Molly, sitting on Judy’s lap.

And there she sat, in bed, with the woman she loved and their soon-to-be daughter. The love in her chest welled up, and she felt happier than she ever had before. _This_ was perfect. 

“Come on, girlies. Let’s go make some breakfast.”


End file.
